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But now let us speak of the banquets celebrated by
Homer. For the poet gives us the different times of them,
and the persons present, and the causes of them. And
Xenophon and Plato have done well to imitate him in this;
who at the very beginning of their treatises set forth the
cause which gave rise to the banquet, and mention the names
of those who were present. But Epicurus never defines either
the place or the time, nor does he preface his accounts with
any preliminary statement. But Aristotle says that it is an
unseemly thing for a man to come unwashed and covered
with dust to a banquet. Then Homer instructs us who
ought to be invited; saying that one ought to invite the
chiefs, and men of high reputation—

but among people who did not regulate their banquets in an
orderly manner we read—

Then first the flatterer rose with mocking speech.

Besides, Homer introduces guests differing in ages and tastes,
such as Nestor, Ulysses, and Ajax, who are all invited together. And speaking in general terms he represents all who
lay claim to any sort of eminence as invited, and individually
those who arrive at it by different roads. But Epicuus has
represented all his guests as believers in the atonic theory,
[p. 290]
and this, too, though he had models both in the variety
of the banquets of the great poet, and also in the elegant
accounts of Plato and Xenophon; of whom Plato has introduced Eryximachus the physician, and Aristophanes the
poet, and other professors of different branches of science,
discussing matters of weight: and Xenophon has mingled
with them some private individuals.

Homer therefore has done much the best of all, and has
given us by far the best banquets; and that again is best
seen by comparing him with others. For the banquet of the
suitors in Homer is just such as might be expected from
young men devoted to drinking and love; and that of the
Phæacians is more orderly, but still luxurious. And he has
made a wide distinction between these entertainments and
those which may be called military banquets, and those which
have reference to political affairs and are conducted in a well-regulated manner: and again he has distinguished between
public and family banquets. But Epicurus has described a
banquet consisting of philosophers alone.

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